She Has Tiger Eyes
by CathAstrophik
Summary: Her clan now nearly fallen, Miyeko Nagaki becomes a shinobi to regain her family's lost glory and to find it's killer. What will happen when she'll be teamed up with Konoha's infamous Uchiha avenger?
1. Chapter 1: A Beginning

When you know that someone let you down and has died on you, you kind of feel like nothing would bring his memories back, the time shared together and the happiness experienced with that person. It's a whole other reality to lose someone dear to us, but it's even harder when your whole clan was murdered right behind your back: you're entire family lying dead before you. Mother, father, siblings, uncles and aunts... The past is destroyed and the hollow present took its place. That's the reality I live in. That's in what vicious circle of hate I'm stuck in. My closest sister, the one I loved the most, had stolen the love I had for every single person in my clan and the love they shared for me. The bonds with them are broken now and I was too powerless to do a thing about it, for I was weak and blinded by bonds of love. No one really understands how my reality is because no one ever lived it. My name is Miyeko Nagaki and for the past four years, I was alone.

Today is a special day for me since it was the day I was supposed to graduate from Konoha's Ninja Academy. I had been attending the academy for four years now but the time elapsed felt like the wind: never saw it pass me by. I opened my eyes and straighten up on my bed as I scratched my arm. I never had any trouble whatsoever in this academy: I always was a top student and never talked to anyone or got in trouble: I tried to stay as low as possible. I maybe was antisocial but I wasn't deaf: I heard the kids talking about how tragic it must have been for me to lose everybody in my clan and they _dared_ to compare me to that annoying, always sulking Sasuke Uchiha of the instinct Uchiha clan. I better not start on that loser for I might never end talking. I got up and changed into the most beautiful long sleeved shirt with the fallen Nagaki crest on its back: a golden lion-dog with green eyes, just like mine. After I put on some pants, I went in my apartment's bathroom and brushed my teeth: I did that early because I knew my stomach would be in knots and that I wouldn't be able to eat or drink anything. I dressed my silky ebony hair into a ponytail and exited my apartment quickly, not wanting to be late. Morning in Konoha was always silent at first and that's the best time of the day. Nobody was up yet and I had the road to myself. The walk to the Academy wasn't long but I always took other streets and wander off. That was my morning routine: to evade others and to keep to myself. Of course, that didn't always happen.

My walking wasn't determined for I didn't to be determined about anything. My students always told me that I looked nonchalant and lazy but I considered myself as a relaxed and mindful person. I didn't like to talk back to my teachers so I went with what they told me: it's not like I didn't have parents to correct my bad habits or anything. I was taught young to be my own person and to walk my head high for what I was: a true heir to Nagaki. It was more obvious than ever: I was the only one left. I always felt like making my clan proud but that incident made me believe in my abilities even more. I never questioned my own authority and never listened to suggestions. That morning, the sun was warm and the wind was chilly. It was the perfect temperature for a new life. My pristine white shirt made my dark hair stand out even more than usual. I always was given this look by boys: they seemed to like me. I didn't consider myself as beautiful nor incredibly girly: it wasn't like me to wander about like I owned the place, like Ino Yamanaka, for instance. Her glossy bleach blond natural hair always sent shivers up my spine: how can blond be so beautiful? It was a mystery of life that I wasn't ready to discover. The girl I thought that most beautiful in the Academy was Sakura Haruno: even though everybody called her 'Forehead', I thought of her as intelligent and bright... she annoyed me, nonetheless. There are people like that: some are blessed and some are not... I am right in the middle, as always.

As I looked in the distance, the distinctive roof of the Academy appeared. I smiled and continued on, my feet acting on their own. As I crossed a perpendicular street, a familiar sight made its way to my eyes and I frowned. The boy crossed the street before me and shrugged. His royal blue shirt displayed the distinctive white and red Uchiha fan on its back. I rolled my eyes and I saw him turn his head a little to look at me. His dark onyx eyes met my green ones and I looked away, uninterested. Sasuke Uchiha had tried to make his first contact with me. I made sure it didn't work. He didn't look back at all afterwards. When we reached the Academy, I looked around and decided that nothing was interesting for me to stay so I entered as well, behind Sasuke. I followed him to our classroom and sat at the far end of the room, wanting nothing but _nothing_ but peace from the other students. I put my head on the table I was sitting under and let my head fall on my crossed arms, closing my eyes silently. The room quickly filled up with nervous and loud teens and I had a hard time relaxing and trying to find my pace, like every morning at school.

Sasuke Uchiha was sitting three rows in front of me and had adopted the same position as I did. I looked away and saw, in the front of the classroom, Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno fighting again about their undying love for the Uchiha prick. "I'm the one who's going to sit beside Sasuke! You can forget it, Ino pig!" The green eyed girl, Sakura, slapped her enemy's face and pushed her around, pulling her hair.

"How about getting pretty and _then_ sit beside him, Forehead?" screamed the blond haired girl, also landing a couple of hits on the other girl, her rival, also messing up her hair. This went on for another minute until someone else interrupted their maniac fighting. "Sakura, I'm here! Wanna join me and sit with me?" screamed the obnoxious Naruto Uzumaki or the blond haired fool. I didn't feel sorry for the kid, though: he was loud and he was proud. I liked that. That's what I admired the most about Naruto Uzumaki. The Nine Tailed fox was sealed inside him, I've heard. My parents used to tell me how the war ended with this terrible beast with Konoha's fourth Hokage: he sacrificed himself to put all of the fallen beast inside this five foot two boy. It certainly was impressive, even for me, who is rarely phased by anything. When the clock ticked 9 AM, our teacher, Iruka, entered the room with a frown on his face, looking at the Haruno and Yamanaka girl fighting again. He then looked around and spotted me, met my gaze, out of all people here. I knew what he wanted. I saw the girls lining one by one to obtain that look.

"Miyeko Nagaki, would you mind sitting by Sasuke, today?" he asked, but I knew he was pleading. I slowly got up and rolled my eyes as I stretched my arms. I nodded silently and rolled my eyes out of annoyance. **Why in the living hell am I the one picked to sit by the dumbass?** What did I do to deserve this? When I reached the row which was Sasuke sitting in, I slowly stepped towards the chair, the dreadful chair, that was standing beside him and I looked at it in disgust. I sat on it and kept my distances, trying as hard as possible not to give any attention to him. I looked crisped, like I was scared of the world around me and Sakura and Ino when to my previous place, sulking. Then, Iruka started calling names, in alphabetic order: the tests had begun. It was today that the new Genins of Konoha would be chosen. I was near the bottom of the list and it took about an hour and a half for Iruka to call my name. While I was waiting, I knew the Uchiha was looking at me once in a while. I had this gift: I knew when someone was staring.

"You're not like the others..." he stated out of the blue. "Why aren't you harassing me?" he asked_. __**What balls!**_** What balls he has to talk to me that way!**

"I thought you had enough attention already." I replied coldly, making him silent again. When I finally heard Iruka say my name, I thanked god I didn't have to spend another minute sitting beside him and I hurried down the classroom, hearing comments like "This is not fair! How come she's so good?" and "I wish she was normal!" That last one almost hurt my feelings but I didn't look back. Today, my goal was to become ninja and that's what I would do. In the other room, the exam room, there was an old man sitting on a huge wooden desk. He was wearing the costume of Hokage. He was the third Hokage: Sarutobi-sama. "This is Miyeko Nagaki, Hokage-sama." Said Iruka, presenting me to the legendary ninja. I nodded to the elderly and he smiled to me.

"How are you today, Miss Nagaki?" he asked.

"Couldn't be better knowing I'll be ninja soon." I replied.

"Why don't you show me what you've got? The final exam is to use of the Henge technique..." asked Iruka, talking his notes beside the third Hokage. He seemed pensive, like he analysed everyone of my moves and I knew he was expecting me to perform like a true Nagaki. It angered me to be compared to anyone because I knew I was the only specimen left to examine. If he wanted results, he'd have some. I performed the basic seals and made a perfect duplicate of Iruka, without flaw. This one smiled and thumbed up at me with a wink. "That's what I thought. Here, take this: you are a true ninja now." Said my now former sensei, handing me what I had been working for the past years: my silver forehead protector, engraved with the Hidden Leaf's crest, which was a twisted leaf with an edge on the left side. I examined it for a moment, not believing what I was holding in my hand. This was the proof I had passed the test and I drew one step closer to crushing my sister. Iruka awkwardly rattled his throat and smiled. "You're dismissed, now... Miyeko..." he said, his voice trailing off. I nodded and turned my back to them, leaving the room with the treasure in my right hand. I entered the classroom once again to give my presence to my subordinate teacher and someone grabbed my shoulder violently. "Hey! Where did you get this, you freak?" screamed another girl, this one also approaching.

"Yeah, your _parents_ must be _so_ proud." Said Ino in a vile attempt to hurt my feelings definitely. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on not landing a punch in her face. I wanted to cry so badly for I needed my mother in that kind of situation. Every kid needs their mother and I was no different and I tried for so long to dissuade myself... but this proved that I was wrong. I looked in her blue eyes and saw her happiness to have a normal life with parents and friends. I hated what I saw and coldly turned my back on her, leaving the classroom, my supervisor calling my name. I didn't have to listen to him anymore. I was free of this Academy bullshit. I was on my own again and this time, I would remain that way until the decisive day. I stepped outside the building and quickly walked away from its grounds, not looking back. I walked around the whole village but couldn't find ease of mind. Her words kept echoing in my mind like a broken record: _"Your parents must be so proud." _Tears burned the corner of my eyes and I bit my lip to restrain myself from crying. I swore I wasn't going to cry anymore. That promise still stands.

When I arrived home, I dropped the forehead protector on the kitchen table and quickly grabbed a shower to wash away all traces of hate and need to kill. When I got out, I examined myself in the blurred mirror. Of course, my hair was a trait of my family: the Nagaki were renowned to have the blackest of hair among the numerous clans of Konoha. My skin was pretty much pearly rose but my eyes... they were off. The color was fine but I didn't have that glow, like everybody. My glow was different: they were shimmering with a different kind of light. Only another person had the same kind of effect and it was none other than Sasuke Uchiha. The murder of my clan had killed that beautiful light in my eyes and I very well much knew that... and he did as well. I dressed up again but more casually, wearing a simple t-shirt and a pair of black shorts. It was almost noon and I was still tired. These days, I was restless at night: I couldn't sleep. Well, when I slept, I didn't recover and the rest of the night, my eyes were wide open. I couldn't eat either. I was useless. I waited off until eleven in the evening and took three sleeping pills. It worked its magic until morning.

The next morning, before I knew I was up, I was already at the Academy, waiting in the classroom for the last time in my life and sat in the back again, secretly wishing to keep my place this time around. Today, I would be placed with my teammates and I smiled. I was happy to be finally part of a team. Not because I wanted friends, but because I would be able to measure up my skills to others with no worries and no interruption. I was unsteady with excitement and I didn't know why my body was reacting this way: was I... overly happy... overjoyed? Was that the reason why? After all, I had been cut out of my social life quite abruptly and I wondered if that was why I was so... untrusting. Anyway, as long as the people in my team wouldn't bug me with my past and my abilities, I was okay with it. It was silly thinking I would make friends, really: what was the point anyway? I would lose them shortly after because they didn't like me or because they didn't expect me to follow my way and not their own.

Iruka took the longest time calling out the first teams and it angered me to think that this prick was doing this on purpose to annoy me and the others as well. As the second, third and fourth team were called, I was beginning to get nervous. Did they make a mistake? Why isn't my name called? I took my courage and stayed quiet until team seven was called. Iruka smiled and looked at me. "First member of Team Seven is... Naruto Uzumaki." The loud and obnoxious Naruto jumped from his seat and screamed 'believe it!' so loud I thought I actually became deaf. With his orange jumpsuit and his bright blond hair, the kid had everything matching with his personality. But the thing about him that permitted me to hold on to kill him was his power to think positive and to never back down. I didn't want to gulp his positive attitude but I admired him for being so strong... after all, he didn't have it easy either.

"The second member of Team Seven is... Sasuke Haruno." Continued Iruka, smiling as always. On the other side of the classroom, someone was less happy that her named was called. Sakura, knowing she was going to be teamed up with the most annoying boy to her, namely Naruto, frowned and let her head fall on her desk gravely, always making a show out of herself. Her bright pink hair fell on her face, probably hiding her invisible tears of discouragement. For an unknown reason, I looked at Sasuke at that precise moment. I looked at him and directed my gaze to his eyes: they were empty, missing that special glow, too. Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks in the stomach: he was the same as I was. I gagged up and choked, earning the attention of Shikamaru Nara, probably the laziest and slackiest living being I know. "She's giving you the hurl too, right? I can't stand that bitch." He said, obviously talking about Sakura. I didn't answer him: Sakura didn't disgust me _that_ much. I was in a fever like situation and I laid my back against the back of my chair. "The third member of Team Seven is Sakura Uchiha." Called out Iruka. I smiled and told myself that that loser was stuck with two more dumbasses and I was not. **We're not that much the same, then...**

"Since this graduate's class has an odd number, I was obliged to put a fourth student in Team Seven... You can join your new teammates, Miyeko Nagaki." He said, smiling. It was like receiving a slap on the face. I closed my eyes and mentally repeated the last sentence that Iruka had just told in front of the whole class. **Oh man...! No way! **_**This sucks!**_ I was stuck with the emotionally challenged mental, the shampoo and conditioner princess and the noodle freak. I couldn't believe my eyes or my ears... or my head, for that matter. I heard Shikamaru snickered and I turned around and wore the deadliest glare on my face. "If you say one word, I'll rip your eyes out." He took a step back and so did his best friend Choji, petrified. Fifteen minutes later, the class was dismissed for lunch and I exited the room as quickly as possible, evading the crowd, the mass of young teens eager to be happy and cheerful. I needed to be alone. I was ready to cry out of frustration. I kicked the rocks in my way and looked around, looking for something that would save my life like suicide or pills. I sat down in the park near the Academy and sighed, taking a bite out of my sandwich. I looked at it and threw it away in anger. The pigeons are it quickly and when I looked back, there was nothing left.

I looked at the corner of my eyes and saw bandaged legs with royal blue sandals with the matching shirt with the Uchiha fan on its back. I rolled my eyes. **Oh great.** Sasuke Uchiha was looking for a place to sit. I looked at the bench I was sitting on and frowned. It was the only one in the park. I immediately got up and tried to walk away but he quickly got to me. "I am not happier than you are." He stated, sitting down, his cold voice resonating in the park like we were the only ones talking. I frowned again and took a step away from him, knowing he would also like to eat in peace. "I am not infested with the pest." He continued, looking at the free place beside him. "I'm not sitting with you. I am not going to eat with you and I surely am not going to be friends with you." I stated, looking straight at him. "I don't want you to sit by me: I'm saying that you are better than _her." _He said, looking in the direction of Sakura, who wildly chased him in the park. I quickly sat and stayed silent while Sakura approached, a mad look on her usually bright face.

"What are you doing with _my_ Sasuke? You antisocial psychopath! You scared Shikamaru and Choji crapless! Oh no! I said crap in front of Sasuke!" she whispered to herself. Her words stung like a thousand bees and I looked away, not wanting to aggravate the situation by replying to her. "Are you ignoring me, Miyeko? Oh, I hope you're going to drop the attitude because I won't let you have my precious Sasuke!" she said. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Fine, _you can have him. _But he's also my partner and I have the right to sit with him. He's not my lover, Sakura, so relax and breathe." I replied calmly to her. Her eyes came back to normal and she silently asked me to move away so she could sit with the Uchiha survivor. She looked at him with admiring eyes and he also rolled his eyes. "Go away, you're annoying." It was like he had stabbed her with his kunai. She nodded silently, paralyzed by the harsh words of her love and went away. I sighed again and he shook his head.

"Why are you letting her talk to you that way?" he asked, not like he was interested or anything.

"Because I don't wish to hurt her... She's not a bad person; she's just madly in love with you and won't calm the fuck down about it." I stated. He smirked but noticed he had committed something of a crime for him: he was about to smile with a true, genuine smile. What an idiot. When something's funny, you smile... or laugh, depending if you're just emotionally constipated or a total dumbass. He ate in silence and I listened to the sounds around me: children playing in the sand, bird signing the spring and someone shouting that Team Seven should return back to the Academy to wait for their sensei. I got up and forgot about Sasuke, who didn't mind taking his time eating and ignoring the alarm. Half an hour later, we were the only ones left to be taken by their sensei for official presentation. The four of us, including Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke and I waited senselessly for that unreliable and untrustworthy sensei of ours.

Naruto, deciding he had nothing else better to do, tried a prank on that so called sensei by putting a chalk eraser in between the sliding door and the door frame. It didn't take a genius to see that when the bastard would open the door, the thing would fall on its head and that he'd be covered in chalk for the rest of the day. Well, serves that dumbass right: he should have been in time and not almost forty five minutes late. "Naruto, you idiot! Because of you, we'll get in trouble!" hushed Sakura, trying to dissuade the blond boy from making a mess again... **I mean, can't you see he's not going to listen? Why are you trying so hard, Sakura? **When the sliding door opened, the man received the chalk eraser bull's eye on the head and stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh no, sensei! I tried to tell him not to do it... but he wouldn't listen!" immediately rushed Sakura, holding Naruto by the arm, this one pissing himself on the floor.

"He fell for it! I can't believe he fell for it!" was all he could manage to say. I rolled my eyes and shook my head and Sasuke... well, he was being himself: silent and constipated. Not a curl of a smile in sight. What a drag. Who does he thing he is, acting all macho all the time? If we're going to be on the same team, I'd have to fix him up... by punching sense into him. I mean, I lived all the drama he had lived through but I still could manage a smile after what Naruto had done. Anyway, he was impossible... maybe not a lost cause, but a very difficult one. "My first impression of you four..." started the anonymous sensei, "I hate you." Naruto and Sakura looked at each other: one with the killer eye and the other one silently begging for mercy. I was beginning to understand our team like coexistence: more hate than love relationship.

In the afternoon, this so called Jounin brought us to the training grounds to have a word with us, like he actually cared... my ass. He didn't really look... sharp: messy grey hair (for his age, it was an abnormal color), his face covered with a mask (was he just too beautiful to show the world?) and the only thing we could see from his figure was his right, lazy and tired looking eye. The rest of his body, thank god, was covered with normal Jounin clothes. His forehead protector was older than ours, obviously, and it had multiple scratches on it, proof that he was a veteran shinobi. "So, why don't you guys tell me about yourself a little?" he asked. Naruto frowned and Sakura asked: "What do you mean? What do you want us to say?"

"Well, you could start with your full name, your likes and dislikes, your hobbies and your dreams or aspirations."

"Hey, why don't you start, sensei? Give us the example." She continued.

"Fine, then. My name is Kakashi Hatake. I like...uh... and I dislike... uh...Mmm... I have a few hobbies and my dream... I have no intention of telling you." He said. "So... from right to left. That means _you_ start, jumpsuit." He said, pointing at Naruto. Naruto cleared his throat and we all looked at each other and mentally said: "Here we go."

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I like ramen, especially cup ramen! I hate the three minutes to cook the ramen with the boiled water and I like to compare the different tastes of ramen as a hobby! Oh yeah, I'm going to become the greatest Hokage the village has ever named! I'll make everyone acknowledge my existence!" he screamed loudly, destroying my hearing once again. "Interesting. Now, you, pink." Sakura frowned but ignored her sensei's attitude towards her.

"My name is Sakura Haruno. What I like is..." she glanced at Sasuke. "What my hobby is, well..." she took another glance at Sasuke and blushed. "My dreams include..." she took _another_ glance at Sasuke, who seemed quite deranged. "And what do you hate?" asked Kakashi, curious.

"_Naruto." _Naruto mimicked himself being shot by an arrow in the heart and crumbled down on the floor. He really was quite the actor. He should have openings in that cultural activity in the future, I'm telling you. Kakashi took a look at the remaining two, meaning Sasuke and I and I saw the faintest of smiles under his marine mask. "You, Tiger eye. What's up with you?" he asked, pointing at me. I didn't like the nickname he gave me because I knew he also noticed my difference from Sakura and Naruto. Of course my eyes weren't normal: they were eyes of an avenger, eyes of a born fighter.

"My name is Miyeko Nagaki. I don't wish to talk about my likes and dislikes, but I'll tell you this: I have a dream, an aspiration, if you want to call it that way. I wish to resurrect my clan and to... _become the only Nagaki left_." Kakashi knew what I meant for I didn't want to scare anyone today. He knew that I wanted to kill my sister, making us two in the world. He then took a look at my hands and noticed how bruised they were. "Did you burn yourself, Tiger eye? You have bruises all over them." He noticed.

"None of your business." He didn't take his curiosity farther...for today.

"And lastly, we have peacock. Go on." Said Kakashi with a grin.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I won't be telling much about me expect that I too want to resurrect my clan and that I want to kill... a certain man..." And there we go: it was again something we had in common that I truly didn't want to share. Sasuke Uchiha was going to make me insane if he went on with this flow. "Well, all of you four have unique personalities. I like that. We're going to begin a mission starting tomorrow." Naruto jumped from his place again and beamed. "What kind of mission is that, mister?"

"Well, we're going to do something that we four can perform. That's survival training." I frowned and so did my teammates. "What the heck is that?" continued Naruto, always so pushy and so loud.

"Why are we training when it's supposed to me a mission? We had plenty of that at the Academy." asked Sakura.

"This must be no ordinary training." I stated to her. Kakashi suddenly started laughing and to be quite honest, it kind of freaked me out. His voice was so loud it sounded evil but... he couldn't be evil, right? He was our sensei: my sensei. "What's up with you, mockingbird?" I asked, earning both Sakura and Naruto a scared look, like they were scared he was going to jump on me.

"Well, if I saw this, I'm sure you guys are going to freak out." He stated. "Out of twenty seven, only nine are going to be actual Genins. The others, meaning eighteen, are going to be sent back to the Academy. In other, more simpler words, this training is going to be very hard with a dropout rate of..." he waited for the answer.

"Sixty six percent...!" I said, trying to measure the intensity of his words. It got us four shaking like leaves and sweating beads on our foreheads. "See? I knew you guys would freak!" he said, like nothing he said didn't mean a thing and that it wasn't really important.

"Jesus Christ! If they would have told me that sooner...!" I mumbled, only Kakashi hearing what I said, the others too preoccupied.

"Then why the hell did we work so hard for? What was the final exam for?" exclaimed Naruto, his voice shaking with panic.

"That's just to qualify the kids that have the potential to become Genins, that's all. We'll see tomorrow if you guys are qualified enough to pass my test, which is final by the way. We'll see... we'll see..." he said while wandering off, dismissing himself out of our conversation. "Oh by the way!" he started, in the distance. "Bring your ninja equipment and be at the training grounds at 5 am! And also, don't eat breakfast. You're going to throw up if you do." He sent shivers up my spine again. That damn Kakashi sensei. I was going to have a problem with him. **Who the hell is he to tell me what to do?**

He left us there, on the training grounds, alone and desperate.

"What are we going to do? Sasuke, what are we going to do?" This one looked at Sakura and simply said: "I don't know for you, but I'm ready so stop bugging me." That was harsh, even for his standards. The poor girl with watery eyes looked in the distance as she saw her love interest walk away from her, followed by Naruto, whose legs were shaking. I felt bad for the pink haired kunoichi and I stepped towards her.

"Sakura, drop by my apartment tonight. You know where I live, right? We'll get a plan working." That was so hard for me to even say that, let alone talk to her after the horrible stuff she said to me earlier. I never thought I'd be stepping out of my comfort zone like this and I had shaky hands. She couldn't believe what I have just said. "Are you... for real?" was all she asked. "Uh... yeah... well, if you don't want to, I understand." I said, turning my back to her. My attempt to make contact with my teammate had failed and I felt stupid.

"Miyeko... I'm so sorry... I was a totally harpy to you for the past year... I don't know what to say expect for apologizing... so... I'm sorry." She said. I looked back and smiled. "Don't worry about that."

"Alright, I see you tonight, then. Oh, Miyeko? You really do have tiger eyes. I like that for nickname." She said, walking away. The day had proved to be successful. I could breathe, now.


	2. Chapter 2: Survival Training

That night, Sakura never came to my place. I had waited for her, cleaned for her and I'll be damned if I ever talk to her again. I mean, I had tried to be nice: I wanted to make a fighting pair with her so that her skills wouldn't look so horribly _terrible_ before our Jounin sensei, Kakashi. I was trying my hardest for it has been so long since I wanted to talk to someone and she had rejected me. I went to sleep on that note: I would make her life a living nightmare, I would surpass her in every way (which really wasn't that hard for _anyone_) and I would crush her like an insect. She had dared to mock my attempt to reach for a social contact and now she was going to pay for it. The next morning, angry as the night before, I got up, got dressed and packed some gear for this so called "survival training". I did eat before I left home, not listening to that nobody that was lucky enough to be my sensei. I locked the door and exited the pristine apartment without a sound. I wore my favorite black shorts and a tank top since the weather was so nice.

My stomach comfortably full, I marched to the training area, where my team and I were supposed to meet. It was a good thirty minutes walk, so I hurried the pace. I had tied my long, straight black hair in a ponytail so it wouldn't get in my way in case that I would have to brace my knuckles and fight. I was a balanced fighter, thought my specialty was my brute strength. I had acquired a lot of training in Ninjustu and Genjutsu and my Taijustu was nearing perfection, even for my early age. My clan had been a very hard working one, not having any kind of Gekkei Genkai, a special hereditary performance enhancer, as I called it. It was nothing more than shameless to use such tricks on others, like the Hyuuga's Byakugan or the Uchiha's Sharingan. I had worked my way the right, normal way: by training hard, every day, to strain my body multiple times a week and to push to the limit of my very own life force every single time I fought. I was predestined to become a fighter and I would live up to my long gone clan's expectations. While my thoughts derived quite a bit, I knew what was going to happen today: we would have to ensure my survival, nearing the possibility of death, probably.

I could now see the training grounds but no teammate in sight. I was the first one. **Oh, perfect. I have to wait for them, now. This is bullshit... **It took seven minutes exactly before Sasuke Uchiha arrived at the training grounds as well. We was fresh and crisp for the day, I could feel it. His blank stare was now pointed directly at me and I looked away, not wanting to start a conversation with him. Hell, I even wondered why he was appointed the corporal tools for speech: everything that ever came out of his mouth was rubbish so what was the point, exactly? I ignored him politely and turned my back. I could feel his stare burning the back of my skin. I dared to look behind me and he sat right next to me, like he thought his presence was soothing to me or something. I got up, bubbling with disgust and sat farther from him by a couple of inches.

"I already said to you that I wasn't infested with the pest." He stated.

"Oh, joy." I replied to him. Quite honestly, I didn't really want to start having a fight, so I remained silent. I couldn't stop thinking about my family, my clan, my whole life. My father had been the clan leader of the Nagaki clan: he had been the greatest of the era and was my personal hero, if I ever dreamed of having one. I inherited his physical power, his strength of heart and his good looks. I could remember the velvety golden eyes, looking at me with love, as he tucked me in every night until he died. I could almost feel his gentle touch on my shoulder as he pulled my hair to make me laugh. It was almost real again, but it wasn't: just some old memories playing tricks on reality. I always had been uncomfortable remembering those moments because of the pain it would backlash me with. I took a deep breath and I saw a girl walking towards us with gorgeous pink hair: it was that bitch Sakura, who would not even dare to look at me. Her eyes never caught my glance: was she scared of the consequences that her act would bring upon her? My wrath wasn't ready to be unleashed just yet. She sat next to Sasuke: in fact, she was very near his presence, which made him uncomfortable as well. He pushed his body towards me and I decided to stay where I was. Lastly, there was the orange blob named Naruto, who came by us, smiling, cheering and screaming "Believe it!" all around the training grounds. The sensei was supposed to be here, already. Where was he?

...Forty five long minutes elapsed before he showed sign of life. He just had appeared in the entrance of the training grounds and a profound hate was starting to build inside of me. _**"Where were you, sensei!"**_ screamed both Naruto and Sakura in unison. "Oh, sorry!" he said, scratching the back of his head. "You see, I helped an elderly lady cross the street... and..."

"LIAR!" the two kids continued to scream while Sasuke and I watched the show.

"Well, let's get started, then." Said Kakashi, leading the way deeper into the training grounds, which was a thick forest opening, surrounded in heavy trees and low bushes. He put what resembled a timer on a tree trunk and pressed it so it was rolling time. "Here we go. The thing here is set for noon." The lightest sounds of chirping bells came to my ears. Kakashi was holding three bells in his hand, which he jingled heartily. "Your assignment is actually quite simple: you have to take these bells from me before the clock marks noon. If you can't get them by this time, you go without lunch for the rest of the day. How sad... You'll be tired to those posts right there..." he pointed three logs afar, "and you'll just have to suck it up and watch me eat the food." He said, grinning under his mask. Naruto and Sakura looked depressed and Sasuke was emotionless, to my surprise. They were hungry. **I disobeyed and it feels nice. At least I'm not hungry... yet.**

"Wait a minute, sensei! There are four of us and there are only three bells!" noticed Sakura.

"Well, that's the name of the game. The three of you who passes will pass the survival test. The other one will be not only failing and going back to the Academy, but will watch the others eat with me and will be suffering for the rest of the day." He said, always keeping a grin on his hidden face.

"Oh, shit!" exclaimed Naruto, grabbing his head in despair.

"You can use any weapons, such as kunai and shurikens. If you're not prepared to kill me, you'll never get the bells and thus will fail as a ninjas." Sakura mentioned that the weapons are too dangerous for this king of training but Kakashi hushed her up pretty fast by flying a kunai in her direction. It missed her head by less than a centimeter. "Be quiet, pink. Learn to dodge _that_ and then talk." He said.

"Well, look who's talking: you can't even block a stupid chalk eraser that comes your way, sensei!" said Naruto, obviously making Kakashi a little more cruel. "When I say _start_, you can begin." Said the Jounin with a serious tone in his voice. Naruto, already pumped up because our sensei ignored his joke, clenched his fists with anger and ran towards him like a mad man, punching and kicking in his direction, Kakashi evading every single blow like they have been a child tickling him. Naruto stopped, huffing and puffing and Kakashi just smiled to him: it pissed the orange blob off even more. "Come here you fucking poser! I'll whoop your ass so hard that you won't be able to sit on it, like, ever!" continued Naruto, trying desperately to assault what looked like impossible to even touch: I had judged Kakashi too fast, only by his appearances. He was making Naruto look like a total noob, dodging every single hit with ease that came his way and Naruto wasn't a pushover: he was a heavy hitter, his hits hard and his temper even worst. Kakashi had enough and he grabbed his collar and placed a kunai to his throat with the swiftest of speed. "I didn't even say start yet..." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, Naruto shouldn't be to o ashamed of his performance... he came to me and had the intent to kill me..." he said, releasing Naruto, who came to us panting. "... I am actually beginning to like you guys. Ok, so let's _really_ start. Three, two one... Begin." I had already disappeared, hidden in the forest, keeping my presence a secret from my teammates as well. I could see Kakashi, standing in the middle of the field, looking bored, as usual. Naruto, on the opposite of his teammates actions, stood right there, pointing his finger in Kakashi's direction. "You and me, right here right now, fair and square!" he screamed to him. I could feel our sensei's desperation as Naruto began to run to him for a fight. Kakashi reached for his weapon pouch and I felt a jolt in my arms: I had to counter attack and fast before he'd get creamed by our sensei... but that was until the lazy eyed Jonin took out a porno book. **Oh, how gross. In front of kids...! Come on! That's disgusting! **

"What the fuck!" exclaimed Naruto, obviously angry that his own sensei made fun of him and his attempt to succeed this survival exercise. Kakashi, always so lazy looking, stared at Naruto for the briefest moment before talking to him.

"Come on, I just want to know what's going to happen next... I mean, come at me as you like, it's just that's you're not much of a challenge so I can permit myself to read a little." This pissed off Naruto to a point beyond the wildest patience. He lunged at Kakashi, his blue eyes fierce with rage. He was growling and showing teeth, even. **Damn...** "I'm going to crush you, arg!" He punched Kakashi several times, this one blocking every single attack like he was shooing away flies: he kept on reading his book full of obscenities. Naruto punched in the direction of his sensei but to only hit air. He was gone. I looked around and let a silent gasp escape my mouth. Kakashi was behind Naruto, his hands in Tora position, which indicated a fire style technique. As Naruto was about to turn around, Kakashi...uh, poked his ass while saying something like "A thousand years of pain!" or whatnot. Overall, the technique itself didn't look very pleasant. Naruto landed in the water and kept himself immerged for a couple of minutes. He came out as Kage Bunshin and attacked Kakashi head on once again but to end up in a duplication technique where the person who is attacked dispose of himself by placing another objet as the target, such as a rock or a log. Naruto was desperate, shouting Kakashi was a cheat and that he was a son of a bitch. He soon got caught up in a trap with a obvious bait: a bell. **What a loser...**

As Naruto was being lectured by Kakashi about obviousness, I knew someone was going to make a move: after all, Kakashi had turned his back and forgot to care, for a moment. I thought right: Sasuke, taking his chance, threw shuriken in our sensei's direction and hit him hard, shuriken all over his body... And it was a shadow clone. "Loser." I mumbled. Sasuke was now in danger: he had revealed his hiding spot and so he left his position to find a more suitable one, Kakashi on his tail, Naruto still trapped. I wondered where Sakura went since she also left: probably to find her beloved Sasuke, worrying like a turkey for him. I looked at Naruto and threw a shuriken in his direction. It cut the rope holding him in the air and he fell with a loud thump on his ass. I left, knowing I would be waiting a really long time before someone would show up again.

I heard Sakura scream deep within the forest: she was caught up now. Kakashi had found her and believe it, she would pay for being such a bitch. As I jumped from tree to tree, I lowered my body to be closer to the ground. I would have to be slick: Kakashi had a sense of smell and of earring that only dogs could measure up with. And then another scream from pink came to my ears. I smirked. I mean, she was useless, the poor thing. I pitied her, really. As I reached for another tree, I saw Kakashi, standing against a tree, talking to Sasuke. Sasuke had his look in his eye that meant nothing good: he was ready to kill, now. They were fighting with weapons now and I decided that when the time was right, I would end up using Sasuke to get a bell. Why spend so much time and energy when I could use his and still end up successful? After a couple of traps, Sasuke went on with hand to hand combat, which seemed to impress Kakashi. He was hitting hard, much harder than Naruto and it looked painful to even dodge, by the look in Kakashi's eye. I gasped and knew my chance was there: Kakashi had his hands full with Sasuke and the bells were practically touchable. "Now, my turn..." Since I was a child. One of the Nagaki clan's specialties was the visible manifestation of chakra. Of course, it had many forms and had a reputation for being one of the most terrifying techniques in the Leaf Village for it was unstoppable and almost very physical. My father used to call it Phantom Limbs. My manifestation of chakra had always been a chakra prolongation of my arms and hands for it was the parts of my body I always sued during combat. It was unique and even I couldn't explain it. This time, to make my move quieter, I only used my right arm and placed it on front of me, letting the prolongation of my arm slowly reaching up to Kakashi's waist, where the tingling bells were attached to. Sasuke was in a bind and was blocked by Kakashi, which I didn't complain about: as long as Kakashi's hands were busy, I was okay. I knew my window was closing rapidly so I made a drastic plan: I would have to use my physical abilities again. As I swung my arm forward, the chakra manifestation of the extension increased speed to become as fast as lightning and I grabbed Kakashi's waist violently, which he never saw coming. "Ugh! What is that?" screamed Sasuke, letting go of Kakashi. I was almost there: I grabbed the bells, the three of them, and swung them into the air, in the palm of the extension of my arm. "Gotcha!" I pulled my arm back to make the extension come to me but Kakashi, deriving his attention from Sasuke, was quick enough to grab the bells back. I swung my arm and punched him in the gut: he flew backwards, Sasuke doing nothing but watch the amazing scene. I jumped out of my hiding spot when I saw the bells on the ground and Kakashi out of my way. I ran as fast as I could, as agile as a feline. When my hand reached for the bells, I saw a shadow over me and I ducked, evading a deadly Fireball jutsu from Sasuke. I crouched and grabbed a bell in my hand, holding it and letting the anxiety wash over my body_. I had a bell_. When I looked around, Kakashi was not in sight. He wasn't where I left him. I was starting to panic: both Sasuke and Kakashi would be after me, now.

"How dare you take advantage of me, Nagaki!" screamed Sasuke, giving me the deadliest of glares.

"I don't have to like, you know. Actually, I hate you and I shall do as I wish!" I screamed back, tilting the bell just to make him shudder in rage. He was without a bell and I was talented enough to get one. Sasuke was so angry that he never saw Kakashi's hand pierce the ground below him and he performed an earth element jutsu that covered Sasuke, from the next down, in the ground. "Damn you to hell!" he screamed. Kakashi, turning around to avoid Sasuke, was now facing me. I turned around to check if the bells were still there, but they weren't. "You, Tiger Eye..." he said. "Your chakra control is nearly perfect...To master the speciality of the Nagaki clan at your age, even though the technique was not completed nor nearly as powerful as it should have been... It's impressive. Of course, I'm not ignoring you, Sasuke. Performing the Grand Fireball technique is also proof of your talent as shinobi and heir of the Uchiha." He said, making Sasuke fume even more in his earthy prison. "You two are quite alike, I would say." He continued.

"I'm nothing like him, you stupid fool! Look at him! He's trapped into the ground and I'm still on my feet, able to move and a bell is within my grasp." I said, sneering.

"Well, of course, you have your differences as well. For you two to perform such advanced techniques, it's quite unbelievable. I haven't seen the use of Taijutsu nor any Genjutsu with you, but that will come in time... That was a clever strategy... for a loser." He added.

"What did you just call me...?" I asked, slowly losing my temper.

"You took advantage of your teammate's sticky situation. That proves you are scum." He said cruelly. Did he just take me for scum? Does he really want to go such a dangerous path? I pursed my lips and closed my eyes. I wasn't scum: I was a shinobi. I had taken the chance to take a bell, that's all. I smirked. That sensei was something else: he wasn't afraid of death, that's for sure. I unclenched my fists and smiled to him.

"What difference does it make? You're only saying that because you lost a bell to me. I know of your reputation, Kakashi. You never have let anyone pass this survival training. I am afraid I might not pass as well so you can have your bell back, I don't really care about it. For you to judge someone so quick, you act as you are the scumbag here, sensei. So I suggest you keep out of my business." I said, throwing back the bell and walking away. I already proved my worth to him by getting it so what was the point in keeping it? He didn't come back to me. He instead disappeared and left Sasuke into the ground, which I found to be pretty harsh. I sighed and turned around. He was sulking. I ran to him and looked at him once again. "He really did fuck you up, Sasuke: look at you."

"Shut up! Go away! I don't need your help! I am an Uchiha! I can do this on my own!" he said, squirming to get out of his prison.

"That's _exactly _why I will help you... After all, it's not the first time Nagaki help the Uchiha in tough situations...Uh, I was about to ask you to give me your hand, but that would be kind of difficult, right...?" I asked, knowing he would only rage at me. I slowly grabbed his neck, his was the only thing possible to grab here and gave it a little tug so that the shoulders would come out. I reached for his shoulders and grabbed them, pulling the boy out of Kakashi's jutsu trap. He shook the dirt off of his clothes and looked at me with a grudge in his eyes.

"You don't have to thank me." I said, walking away to where the clock was. I didn't know if he would pursue Kakashi for a bell and I honestly could care less. I had gotten was I wanted today: scare the sensei and prove my worth. The Nagaki clan was going to be honored, once again. The forest was thick and walking through it was a nightmare. The branches were scratching my arms and my face. When I reached the three posts with the clock, I saw Naruto tied to one of them, almost crying out of desperation. He had wanted to take Kakashi's lunch and he was being punished the hard way. We were told not to give him food unless we wanted to spend the rest of our days at the Academy. My arms were still wobbly from the use of my technique and my breakfast was long gone. I had used a lot of my chakra already and another confrontation was out of the question. Sakura had rejoined Naruto and Sasuke also appeared, apparently pissed that he didn't catch a bell in time. We were now sitting, the four of us, around the posts, waiting for Kakashi to return. He has left Sasuke, Sakura and I a delicious looking meal and we were forbidden to give some to Naruto, who crying for food. Sakura was way too "cool" to give anything and Sasuke wouldn't even look towards the rest of us. I looked at the food and sighed, handing Naruto a bite.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing? Stop feeding him! We'll never pass this test!" said Sakura, almost ready to make Naruto spit the food in his mouth.

"Well, excuse me Pink, but if Naruto's out of energy, you guys will never be able to catch a bell." I said back to her, giving Naruto some more, which made the kid's mouth full. He couldn't speak that way. Sasuke, getting up, also gave a bite of his food to Naruto. "Sasuke, what are you doing?" she cried out.

"...Miyeko is right. We need Naruto to get some energy. It's the only way we'll get a bell." He simply said. I was shocked: what the mighty Uchiha handing me victory? Was he saying that I was right? That confused me even more, but I continued on feeding Naruto. Sakura, following Sasuke's advice (she really wanted to, anyway), gave Naruto food and fed him, which was kind of funny to look at since Naruto was almost eating Sakura's hand every time she offered him food. I sat down and let the rest of the food beside me. I wasn't really happy with what I had done, but I remembered what Kakashi had told me: _"You took advantage of your teammate's sticky situation. That proves you are scum." _I thought about that. Maybe the best thing there was to do was to _help _Naruto instead of bringing him down. That way, the whole team would benefice from it and that would help _me_. Suddenly, Sakura screamed and Sasuke gasped. Kakashi was looking furious as hell and he was right in front of me.

"I told you not to give him food! Can't you listen to orders, the bunch of you?" he was angry. "Who is the responsible for this!" he said. Sasuke didn't reply and Sakura was way to frightened to answer. Naruto still had his mouth full. "I am the responsible." I said, knowing I would eat one extra load of shit. He looked at me and I could see the faintest of smile under his mask. He quickly changed the subject, not letting go of us one bit.

"You know, this test wanted you guys to put up barriers against each other: in other word, you thought that you had to compete with each other. You would have gotten the bells... if you would have used _teamwork_. I guess I can say that you guys were pathetic at that... the only one who got a bell none other than the silent Miyeko Nagaki. I am pretty sure she fooled you out of the blue, right Sasuke?" Sasuke frowned. "Of course, I saw her skills, but it was crap: she used Sasuke, her own teammate, to get to what she wanted. That is pretty shitty." I rolled my eyes. **Teamwork, I get it...! **"Sakura! You cared more about Sasuke than Naruto, that was for sure. Even though Naruto was right in front of you, needing your assistance, you ran for Sasuke, who seemed to have forgotten about you." Sakura gulped and sulked.

"Naruto... oh boy, where to start? There's no explanation really: you'll have to work hard... you fell for every trap I've laid so obviously. You even managed to piss off your sensei, in that case, me. And you'll have to change the orange... it's terrible." Naruto growled, as always. "And you Sasuke..."

"... You thought that everybody around you deserved to kiss your ass and they meant nothing to you. They were a burden to you and I'll make sure that it won't happen again." He said, obviously angry towards Sasuke, who stayed silent. Kakashi made a jutsu that made the sky thunder, the clouds blackish grey with anger and his eyes, well, his _eye_, was shooting deadly glares. He was going to kill us. No even worst: he was going to send us back to the Academy.

"Any last words?" he asked.

"Bu-but-but! Kakashi-sensei! You said, you said...!" said Naruto, his mouth wide open. Sakura was screaming and Sasuke was hiding his eyes in case Kakashi was ready to throw projectiles. I closed my eyes and got up, facing Kakashi. _"We are a four man team. We don't give up, not even to you!"_

"She's right!" said Sasuke, grabbing my arm, which made me uncomfortable.

"Yeah, we four are one!" continued Sakura.

"Believe it, retard!" said Naruto, lastly.

Then, we saw the faintest of smile on his hidden face.

"You guys... _**pass!**_" he stated. The sky returned to normal and the breeze was back. No one could speak or move. **Did I just... pass the test? But, I thought that if we were to give food to that dumbass, we would fail! What's up with this guy? And who does he think he is?**

"_Are you fucking with us?"_ screamed Naruto, angry as hell. "What do you think you're doing to us, you freak? Your joke is sick!" he was squirming against the wooden post and I cut the rope holding him to the wooden log, the blonde boy falling on the ground with a "splat". I got up and shook my head, letting the long black hair in a ponytail blow in the wind. "Although only one of you actually _got_ a bell, I think the right decision is to make you pass. After all, you guys aren't so bad after all." He said. "Shinobi who don't follow the rules are scum..." he said, looking at me. "...But shinobi who leave their friend to perish are worst than scum. I wish all of you remember that. The training is over. On this note, you're dismissed, all of you. I will see you tomorrow to start really missions." He said, leaving in a "poof" of smoke.

I was speechless. Was that weirdo for real? I mean, he was so... uh, never mind. He wasn't worth my inner turmoil. I still felt the pressure of Sasuke's arm on mine and I tugged it away, looking at him like I wanted to kill him. "Never do that again." I said, leaving the training grounds, following Kakashi back to the Academy. He probably could sense my aura and he simply turned and said: "Well done. I see you understand."

"I'm not dumb." I replied back. He smiled and the other three followed as well.


End file.
